Glitter (Glitter, #1) in Mock Printz 2026

Nov 01, 2016 Tegan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016-releases, young-adult, female-lead, romance, kindle-books, to-paris-with-love, queens-and-kings, net-galley, marie-antoinette, omfg-gossip

*I received this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This novel was pitched as Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette and I KNEW I had to have it. I really went in with no expectations, as I had no idea how these two subjects would connect, which I think is why I enjoyed this so much. If I went in expecting one thing and it did not pan out that way, I would have been disappointed. I am glad I read this without any preamble, it made the ride that much more fun!

Without giving to *I received this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This novel was pitched as Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette and I KNEW I had to have it. I really went in with no expectations, as I had no idea how these two subjects would connect, which I think is why I enjoyed this so much. If I went in expecting one thing and it did not pan out that way, I would have been disappointed. I am glad I read this without any preamble, it made the ride that much more fun!

Without giving too much away the basic premise is Danica Grayson, a regular girl (as regular as a girl can be living in a historically accurate Versailles, but more on that later), is suddenly engaged to the most desired bachelor, the King. The novel starts out with her attempting to escape. That was enough to intrigue me and have me wondering why on earth she would want to leave such a beautiful palace.

Versailles, also known as Sonoman-Versailles, in this futuristic novel is lived in by a specific group of people. The company of Sonoma Inc. has purchased Versailles from France and, much like the Sun King himself, made it it’s own country. They live as if they are back during the Sun King and his descendants’ reign, though the palace is updated with artificial intelligence called M.A.R.I.E. This AI includes bots, Lenses, cameras, keypads, etc. Basically whatever is done in Versailles, M.A.R.I.E. knows about. Enter Danica and her plan to escape. As everything they do is watched, the characters must hide their secrets in plain sight. I was always very interested in seeing how they would camouflage what they were doing to fit in with the historically accurate palace.

This novel does not only take place within the palace. The reader also gets the “regular” world’s point of view. You see that Versailles is looked upon as frivolous by many, and its inhabitants have received the nickname of “Louies.” As the book continues, the two worlds start to collide and I am anxious to see how it continues in the second installment.

Danica is not necessarily a likable character. She does many things that are frowned upon, and she knows they’re bad, yet she still does them (much like Walt in Breaking Bad). You can’t help but keep reading because you want to know if she succeeds or if her plan falls apart around her. The relationship between her and the King is disturbing and intriguing. You never quite know how he will behave next and each of their interactions kept me on my toes. Her outside love interest was a little obvious, but I’m glad it did not go the typical YA insta-love route.

I am a huge fan of Marie Antoinette and Versailles and its history, so this was right up my alley. I was very excited to see how the author brought this time period to life, but in the future. This was very well done and the reader gets some historical information as well about what life was like at the palace during that time. This idea is wholly unique and I enjoyed this book very much. I am looking forward to the second installment and hope that it continues in the same vein as this book did! ...more

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Aug 14, 2016 Melissapalmer404 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Book #85 Read in 2016
Glitter by Aprilynne Pike

Inside the Palace of Versailles, people dress, live and act like it is the 18th century, ignoring the modern-day world outside. Danica longs to be part of that modern-day world. She is used as a pawn by her mother and engaged to the king as part of her mother blackmailing him. Danica is desperate to raise enough money to secure her escape but at what cost? She begins to deal a highly addictive drug to her society mates. This book would be ideal for f ...more

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Mar 28, 2017 Barbara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: jobs, compassion, conflict, families, facing-fears, grief, lgbtq, loss, series, bullies

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Seventeen-year-old Danica Grayson is set to marry a king, the slightly older Justin Wyndham who rules over a business empire in Sonoman-Versailles. Although the modern world goes on outside the palace, inside the palace, the residents behave and dress as though they are living during the time of Marie Antoinette. However, they use technology to make life easier for them and to keep an eye on one another. Danica fears the king, but her power-hungry mother has gathered evidence of one of his crime Seventeen-year-old Danica Grayson is set to marry a king, the slightly older Justin Wyndham who rules over a business empire in Sonoman-Versailles. Although the modern world goes on outside the palace, inside the palace, the residents behave and dress as though they are living during the time of Marie Antoinette. However, they use technology to make life easier for them and to keep an eye on one another. Danica fears the king, but her power-hungry mother has gathered evidence of one of his crimes, which Danica actually witnessed. In exchange for her silence, Danica is be married to the king, something she has no desire to have happen. As her days and nights are spent trying to avoid his attention, indulging in frivolous parties, and playing to a crowd of tourists who visit the palace, Danica comes up with a plan to escape the king's clutches. As she makes a deal with the devil, a powerful drug dealer, she begins selling a highly-addictive substance called Glitter that she mixes into makeup and doles out to those who spend time at the royal court. Even while her escape funds continue to rise, she falls in love with Saber, an assistant of the drug dealer, and watches as her plans fall apart. As the body count rises, Danica is left pondering whether her own life is worth sacrificing so many others as well as betraying herself in so many ways. The cliffhanger leaves her in desperate straits with hardly an ally left. While I liked the originality of this book and how Danica justifies her own actions, reminding herself that the end justifies the means, just as any other dealer might do, it was sometimes odd to consider where all these courtiers were when they weren't in the palace. I had no real sense of the world outside the Palace of Versailles where most of the action takes place, and a somewhat constrained idea that everything is playing out within the palace, a plaything for the enormously wealthy. While I was happy that the heroine found some measure of happiness with Saber, I certainly was not surprised. I will eagerly read the next title to find out what happens next, of course. I liked the book but found it hard to like any of the characters. The author captures perfectly, though, how those with extreme amounts of wealth might choose to entertain themselves in the future, by playacting as though they are living in a different century. That was such an interesting premise that kept me reading. ...more

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Jul 14, 2016 Ellen rated it really liked it

Alternate history with teens inhabiting a combo Versailles & tech world. Main character Danica, Dani, is engaged to marry the 19-year-old King, but only because her mother is blackmailing him into it. Dani wants nothing to do with him, or the affected world of court, and finds a dubious solution in becoming a drug dealer to the privileged. Reluctantly helping her out is Saber, a mysterious, beautiful servant, with secrets of his own. The ending is a a bit deus ex machina, but will leave readers ...more

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Jan 22, 2017 Beth rated it liked it

Took me awhile to get into the story--the premise and exposition left something to be desired, but by the last 30 minutes (I listened to the audio) I wanted to know what would happen in Book #2.

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